Improved wrench



H. W. HARRER IMPROVED WRENCH June 25, 1935.

Original Filed Jan. 16, 1934 Patented June 25, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE Application January 16, 1934, Serial No. 706,808 Renewed February4, 1935 2 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in wrenches and has for its objectto provide a wrench having slidable jaws and a releasable ratchetmechanism for moving the jaws into tight gripping relation, operable bythe handle of the wrench. upon application of force thereto.

A further object of the invention is to provide a wrench of theabove-mentioned character which is simple and durable in construction,reliable and eicient in operation and inexpensive to man.- ufacture.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent duringthe course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification and inwhich like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout thesame,

Fig. l is a side elevation view of the wrench,

Fig. 2 is an edge view of the same,

Fig. 3 is an edge view of the lower end of the handle showing thecompartment for the extra jaw faces, and,

Fig. 4 is a section taken on lines II-II of Fig. l.

In the drawing, wherein for the purpose of illustration, I have shown apreferred embodiment of my invention, the numerals 5 and 6 denote a pairof jaws disposed in confronting relation and having shanks and 8extending therefrom at right angles. The shank I has a longitudinalgroove 5 extending along its upper edge, adapted to slidably receive thecorrespondingly shaped rib I formed on the lower edge ofthe shank 8,thus slidably connecting the jaws together. The handle I I may bestraight or of the' S-type and has its upper end bifurcated, as at I2,to straddle the shanks of the jaws. The handle is pivotally connected tothe jaw 6 by the pivot pin I3 extending through the bifurcated end andthe jaw. A yoke i4 is disposed in the base of the bifurcation I2 of thehandle and straddles the shank 'I of the jaw 5. A pin I5 extends throughthe yoke I4 and slot i6 extending longitudinally of the shank l, theends of the pin being slidably mounted in the vertical slots II formedin the walls of the bifurcation I2. The upper edge of the slot I6 isprovided with ratchet teeth I8 which are engaged by the pin I5, the pinbeing normally held in engagement with the ratchet teeth. by the coilspring I9 mounted on the shank 20 ofthe yoke I4. The shank 2D extendsthrough an opening 2I in the handle and has its lower end pivotallyconnected, es at 22, to the release lever 23 which is pivotally mountedin a recess in the handle, as at 24. The jaws and 6 are provided withremovable jaw faces 25 which are held in place by set screws 25 andformed in the lower end of the handle I I is a compartment 21 for thestoring of extra jaw faces and a pivoted closure plate 28, normallycovers the compartment.

In use, the jaws 5 and 6 may be quickly adjusted by actuating the lever23 to pull down the yoke I4 and release the pin I5 from engagement withthe ratchet teeth I8. When the jaws have been adjusted, the lever isreleased and through action of the coil spring I9 the pin I5 is movedinto engagement with the ratchet teeth I8, so that when force is appliedto the handle the jaws are moved still further towards each other intotight gripping relation, preventing the jaws from slipping on the objectto which the wrench has been adjusted. To release the wrench the handleis moved in the reverse direction and the pin I5 rides over the ratchetteeth, opening the jaws instantly.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown anddescribed is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and thatcertain changes in the shape, size and arrangement of the parts may bemade without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope ofthe subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:-

1. A wrench comprising a pair of jaws having Shanks extending at rightangles thereto and slidably connected together to permit the jaws tomove towards and away from each other, a handle having a bifurcated endstraddling the shanks and pivotally connected to one of said jaws, ayoke disposed in the base of the bifurcation of the han- :Ile andstraddling the shank of the other jaw, a pin extending through said yokehaving its ends slidably mounted in slots formed in the walls of thebifurcation, ratchet teeth formed in the jaw shank straddled by saidyoke, adapted to be engaged by said pin and means for actuating saidyoke to release said pin from engagement with said ratchet teeth.

2. A wrench comprising a fixed jaw, a movable jaw, Shanks extending atright angles to said jaws and slidably connected together, a slotextending longitudinally of the movable jaw shank having ratchet teethalong its upper edge, a handle having a bifurcated end straddling saidShanks and through an opening in said handle, a coil spring mounted onsaid stem normally holding said pin in engagement with said ratchetteeth and a lever pivotally mounted in said handle and connected to saidstem, for actuating said yoke to release said pin from engagement withsaid ratchet teeth.

HERBERT W. HARRER.

